Stiffener for cans.



1.. M'. HOTHERSALL.

STIFFENER FOR CANS.

cATloN FILED l 1 Patented Oct.. 154, 1918.

.n STATES PAE* @einen J M. 'HQTHERSALL, BROOKLYN, NEW YRK, ASSIGN T@AdERCPL GUM E'AN'Y, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORYRTIQ' 0F JEESE'.

erinnerten non eens.

Application med Iebinery Ml, H1535. erinl lilo. l

To all 1U/tom i may concern.'

lie it known that Joni; M. Ho'rHeRsALL, o citizen or the United States,residing in Brooklyn, in the countyuof'lings end Steteyy o NeeY York,here invented e new and use ful improvement in Stideners for Cans, ofwhich the ollowingis e speoiication. A

My present invention reletes to sitter cans endfroore particularly tosifter. eens where it is intended. thet the sitter top or -cover rely tstightly over the upperl end of e body, without being soldered or other-Wise rigidly secured thereto.

The purpose of the invention, broadly, is. to provide en eii'ectiveIneens for stiifening the upper or open end oi the body, over which thesiter top or closure fits.

' 'znereiy pushed The invention is hereinafter described 'es embodiedina telcurn powder box, although Will be readily understood that itiscapable of embodiment in numerous other forms of boxes intended forvarious purposes. The principal object of the invention is provision or"e. stiener which may be into position, Without recpiirparticularformation of the can or box. 5i further object or' the invention is theproi on of such e. device 'which will permit the eesy positioning of thecover, end, et the seme time, prevent its easy removal.k

A further object of the invention is the provision of a ydevice of thischaracter which ymay becheaply constructed, which will be e positionedin the strong und durable in use, and which will not interferematerially with the sifting of the materiel from the can or box.

ther objects and advantages of the invention will be better understoodfrom the 'following description, when considered in connection with theaccompanying draw'- ing illustrating e preferred embodiment thereof.

the drawing,

Figure l is e. transverse, vertical, sectional view of e sitter canembodying my invention; i

Fig. 2 is e perspective of the same With the sitter top removed; and

Fig. 3 is a. simil-er view of the stiiiener.

For-the purpose of illustrating my ini/en# tion, llueve shown itembodied in a stiiener, o en top of a teloum powder box body 5. he boxbody 5 is of e wellknowu lrectimguler forni and is provided with enoutwardly pressed, encirclingv I Speeicetion of Letters Potent.'

y might spill.

resented oet. is, ieee.

bead or shoulder 6 just beneath the upper edge, against which shouldertheco'rei having the usuel sitter top 8 is adapted "e The stiieningdevice 4 consists in the pres ent instance of e single, metallic sheetrest-- ingl -et `opposite edges in the depression provided within thebox body throu formation of the bead G.

llhe sheet #i is preferably corrugated eno. when positioned, es seen inFig( 2, the eo'r get-ionsv ere disposed trensverseljf ot box body. Thesecorrugetions perform the double function of stidening the sheet end ofproducing more rigid engagements with,u in the depression 9. The sheetis constructed so that it tits tightly in plaoe and has only e. widthsutlioient to give it the desired. rigidity.

When it is desired to sift powder, or "the i; lille, from the box, it isonly necesseryto manipulate the box in the usuel manner-- the customaryshaking causing the powder to readily pass the stiii'ener..

The 'stiiienei is placed in position by inserting one edge in thedepression end springing the other side of the body away by pressureexerted on the stiii'ener through the depression, The materiels of boxesof this character ere usually resilient enough to mit this to occur,This position ot the stitin ik i ener prevents depression of the sidesend prevents the iornietion oi openings betwe the cover and body',through which pow. The cover slides ily into position, as it maybovreedily inserted over the open end of the body and pressed down tolinel position. lt cannot Withdrawn nearly so easily, because of theengegge ment'produced by forcing down against the bead 6.

l-i stide'ner of this `type only needed n. rectenguleror straight sidedbox suoli l have shown.. @ther shapes" 'lieve c paretively rigidself-sustaining vWells w out requiring anyiedditionei-oieensto si them.ln talcum powder boxes it is ne sary that 'the sifter top end bres-stiit top of the box very tight-ly ell afrou'nd to prevent powder seepingout during tren porting end handling. This desirable tight fit Viseasily possible in any boi; having e circuler or elliptical section,since e tf; fitting cover simply compresses the metal all aroundthe'point ont engagement end,i'n

' notordinarily possible to press in the side Iseepage of powder.

sufficiently with the lingers to cause a I havel found great difficulty,however in' getting 'asufficiently tight fit in straight sided boxesuntil I made the invention herein described. I

t is readily seen that placing av tight litting top on a straight sidedbox such as I show simply results in drawing the four corners inwardand. producing a slight collapse of the sides inward to relieve thetension,` with the esult that heretofore, all such he: aired more orless. Also, the

straight a so easily ilezied inward by a very slight pressure of thelingers that seepage occmrs;v I l Since manufacturing' straight sidedboxes ,with this invention applied, all this trouble has been obviated,and l am now able to. make the t of the cover tight enough, and

so hold it, to prevent all seepage'of powder in ordinary handling andalso to make the frictional engagement and holding of the coverpermanent against any ordinary removing force. i

In the drawings, I have shown a rectangular elongated can, whichrequires a braceA in only two opposite directions. n A square can mightrequire a brace on all four sides which could be accomplished by using arectangular ora-ce or stifener touching all four sides with the fourcorners cut away to pass powder to the sitter top. It must be rememberedthat in the rapid manufacture of tal- `cum boxes, the tops iit verytightly and are pressed home by machinery, after the boxes are filledwith powder, and cannot be removed without considerable effort, in factunder ordinary lconditions ot' use they are not intended'to be removed,and seldom, if ever, are. Thus, it is easily seen'that many diilicultieshave attended the Inaking of straight sided boxes and procuring alasting, tight and powder proof tit, between the slip joint of the boxand cover, until the adop? tion of this device.

lt is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be readily understood Without further description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, andapplication of the stillening device,- without departing from the spiriti and scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its materialadvantages, the form hereinbefore described. being merely .ment thereof.Y

I-claiin:

1. A box coniprisin, straight sided body, a tight fitting, lian e, covertherefor, pro vided with sitter top, and a stidener mem-A ber engagingthe inner' lfaces of opposite sides of said box adjacent the meetingedges of said cover and box to prevent inward flexion of said sides whensaid tight fitting cover is secured to the box.

2.` A box comprising a straight sided body, a tight fitting covertherefor, provided with a sifter top, said box having engaging meansabout its interior adjacent the top edge thereof, and a stidener memberenga ing the inner faces of opposite sides or" said "0X, adjacent themeeting edges of said cover and box, to prevent inward flexion of saidto said box.

3. A box comprisino' a straight sidedhorizontally elongated bo ycomprising two long sides and two short sides, stillener member engagingthe inner faces of the opposing longer sides of said body near 'gtheopen top of the same to prevent inward flexion of said sides relative tothe cover and a tight fitting cover for said body, provided with asifter top, and havin flano'es engaging the outer sides of said bo yanda extending down substantially to the level of the said stillenermember. l.

Ll. A box comprising a strai ht sided body formed with a horizontal beaa corrugated stiifener member engaging the said bead on the innenfacesof opposin body near the open top of? tie Same to prevent inwardflexion. of said sides relative to the cover, and a tight iitting coverfor said body, provided with a sitter top, and having flanges engagingthe outer sides of said bodyyand xtending down substantially to the saidbead, the said stiil'ener member being arranged to permit the passage ofpowder to the'sifter top. f

Y 5. A sheet metal can comprising a body and a fianged cover, combinedwith a transverse stitfener engaging the inner'faces of opposite sidesof said can adjacent the slip joint formed between thebody and cover.

JOHN M. HOTHERSALL. Witnesses:

C. W. GRAHAM, WD. Fos'rnn.

sides of said

